Article support



April 29, 1930. R. K.RUssELL 1,756,883'- ARTI CLE SUPPORT April 29, 1930- R. K. RUSSELL 1,756,883

ARTICLE SUPPORT Filed April 19, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 29, 1930- R. K. RUSSELL 1,756,883

ARTICLE SUPPORT Filed April 19, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 b @is @ND Patented Apr. 29, 1930 BOY K. RUSSELL, F WARREN, PENNSYLVANIA i ARTICLE SUPPORT Application filed April 19,

My invention relates to improvements in supports for articles.

More particularly the invention relates to display supports or sentinels for containing bottles of oil or alcohol or the like such as are dispensed in filling stations for automobiles. An object of the invention isto provide a sentinel for dispensing and displaying bottles of oil or the like which will be readily accessible and form an adjunct to the gasoline sentinel or pump, by being mounted adjacent thereto.

A further object is to provide such a device with a sectional casing comprising hinged sections, which are readily operable to expose the bottles of oil or other articles to View and access for removal.

Another object is to provide readily remov-v able liiiiged sections for said casing.

Another object is to provide a hollow body portion having inwardly disposed receptacles for supporting said articles, and heating means in said hollow body support to heat the receptacles and articles.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combination features and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical partly sectional view of the device of my invention.

Fig. 1a is a view of the hinge supporting members for said sectional casing. 0

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of Fio'. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. l

Fig. 4 is a section on line of Fig. 2. o

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of the device of Fig. 1 in vertical elevation, showing the hinge supporting member and its hinged connections with the sectional casing.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view of a modification.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view of another modification.

Figs. 8 and 9 shovvr the application of my invention to a body member mounted as a wall support,.in elevation and horizontal secthe abutment flange 1929. Serial No. 356,527.

tion respectively. Fig. 9 is a section on line 9--9 of Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawings, the hollow body poi-tion 1 of the article Support is provided with rows of space-d apertures 2 through its 55 Wall 3. Extending inwardly and incining downwardly from each of said apertures are receptacles 4 for receiving articles such as bottles 5 of oil or the like. The receptacles 4 preferably are of trough shape of seini-circu- 6o lar cross section open at the top as shown at 6. At the inner end of the trough like receptacles 4 there is provided an abutment flange or wall 7 which is preferably formed by ears 8 bent over from the sheet metal of the receptacle trough and meeting or overlapping centrally thereof as shown at 9 while providing a drain outlet aperture 10 at the lowermost point of the receptacle.

The receptacles are preferably designed to 70 support the bottles of oil in inclined position so that they will tend to remain in place-in the support and so that there isno danger of their slipping out and breaking. The receptacles are preferably of such depth With respect to 7 that they Will support the bottles 5 in accessible protruding relation.4 to the wall of the body portion of the support W as shown in Fig. 3.

A heater 11 is preferably mounted in the lower end of the body portion 1 for heating the inwardly projecting article receptacles and the bottles of oil therein to keep the oil at proper temperature and consistency.

The body portion 1 comprising an upright tubular casing is connected to base 12 and top portion 13 by means of a rod or pipe 14 extending vertically through the body portion 1 and through apertures in the top and base and being screw threaded at its ends to receive nuts 15 and 16.

The base 12 consists in the flat portion 12vil and the depending flange portion 12b which rests upon the ground or may be secured to any suitable floor or embedded in concrete.

The ytop portion 13 preferably comprises the flat portion 13a, which is connected by means of rod 14 with the flat portion 12t of the base, and the dome portion 13b in which are preferably mounted illuminating means such as electric lamps 17. The top portion 13 eX- tends outwardly beyond the body portion 1 of the article support or container and overhangs the same as shown at 13c whereby lamps 17 in sockets 17n may be disposed to cast their light through apertures 13d preferably glass covered as shown, and to illuminate the exterior of the body portion and the articles therein. A lamp 18 may also be mounted in the top portion as is customary 1n sentinels in filling stations to provide further illumination.

The body portion 1 mounted upon the base portion 12, together with the top portion 13 forms a unitary sentinel structure which displays the articles mounted in the body portion to advantage, renders them readily accessible and protects and illuminates the articles by means of the overhanging roof formed by top ortion 13.

As shown in igs. 1 and 2 the body portion is also preferably provided with vertical channels or corrugations 19 in which are mounted shelves 20 for supporting the bottles or other articles in upright position. The vertical troughs or corrugations 19 are preferably of approximately semi-circular cross section so that the preferably circular shelves 20 with their upstanding flanges 21 willliold the bottles in accessible protruding position. The shelves are provided with drain holes 37.

Any number of shelves may be provided, depending upon the height of the article supporty and the height of the bottles, and they may be -disposed one above the other as shown. By this arrangement, the article support provides means for supporting 'the bottles or other articles in readily accessible position in the inclined receptacles and in the vertically disposed receptacles.

A tubular removable outer casing 22 is preferably provided for the unitary article support. The casing 22 is provided by segnientary sections 23 hingedly and removably mounted to supporting members or posts 24 which in turn are removably mounted in the top and bottom portions of the article support. The supporting members 24 as shown, comprise sheet metal strips of channel form in cross-section and each having a fixed projecting lip 25 at its upper end and an adjustable lip or slide 26 at its lower end. The slide Y26 is retained in sliding contact with the bottom of the channel groove in the supporting member 24, by means of guiding ears 27 bent over from the channel 24 to form guide grooves or recesses for the slide 25. The slide 26 is provided with a handle or finger lug 28 at its upper end to enable the manipulation of the slide.

Any suitable number of supporting meinbers 24 and casing segments 23 may be provided. Three supporting members 23 are shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the base portion 12 of the article support and the top portion 13 being provided with slots and recesses 29 and 30 for receiving the slide 26 and the lip 25 of the channel member 24.

The supporting members 24 are provided with the eye or-pintle receivin portion 31 ofthe hinged connection, while t e segmental sections 23 are provided with the pintle portions 32 of the hinge connections. The sections 23 extend peripherally from their hinged connection ber 24 into contact at their opposite ends With the next succeeding supporting member as shown in Fig. 2. A hasp 33 may be provided upon the channel members 24 for engagement with a slot 34 in the door sections 23, or any suitable connection such as a. snap connection may be provided to releasably hold the door sections in closed position.

The casing 22 may be providedwith any number of segmental doors and preferably the casing comprises upper and lower sectional doors 23 and further sectional doors arranged peripherally to completely enclose the body portion of the article support.

The casing may be readily partially or wholly disassembled by opening the segmental doors 23 and lifting them from their hinge connections with they channel members 24 or by removing them as a unit with the channel members by operating the slide 26 in the channel members to disconnect the channel member from the slots 29 and 30 in the base and top portions of the article support.

It will be understood that upon ulling up with the supporting memon the slide 26, it will clear its soc et 29 and may then be tilted or swung out to clear the base and may be entirely removed by pulling downwardly to disconnect the lip 25 from its slot 30 in' the top. The upper sections overlap the lower sections as shown at 36.

In Figs. 6 and 7 are shown modified forms of my invention showing modified cross-sectional shapes of the tubular body portion 1 of thek sentinel or article support. Fig. 6 shows an oval formation in which the inclned receptacles 4 are arranged in close proximity so as to provide a larger number thereof, and the vertical receptacles 19 are provided at its ends. Fig. 7 shows an arrangement in which the vertical receptacles 19" are provided at the corners of a square tubular body portion 1 and the inclined receptacles 4" are mounted in its walls. The heater 11 is shown in Fig. 7.

In Figs. 8 and 9 is shown my invention applied to a wall support in which a large number of inclined receptacles are provided. Suitable connections to the wall are shown at 35.

It will be understood that I do not wish to limit the invention to the exact embodiments shown and that many modifications lll may be made within the scope of the invention.

A sentinel or support for `quart bottles of oil such as are used in auto filling stations is provided by my invention which provides an effective holder and display device for the bettles or other articles, with receptacles for protecting the bottles against breakage, means for warming the bottles and a demountable outer sectional casing spaced from the bottles and further protecting them.

It will be noticed that in all the forms a panel or plate like support, whether this be flat or curved, is provided having openings through which the bottles necks, and if desired, a portion of their bodies, protrude to the point to be readily reached by the attendant, and that on the inner or rear side of this panel or plate like support, the recepf tacles or holders 4 are located, they being supported by the panel wall and extending therefrom preferably at a downward inclination. These holders receive the main body of the bottles. They are located on the protected or shielded side of the panel whether this panel be in the form of a circular column, as in Fig. 1; an ellipse, as in Fig. 6; a square, as in Fig. 7 or a plane wall plate as in F igs` 8 and 9. In all the forms of Figs. 1, 6, and 7 the vertically disposed receptacles as at the recesses 19, 19', 19, occupy space that would otherwise be wasted, for it will be noted that where the receptacles 4 are arranged as in Figs. 1 and 2, radially in relation to the panel, their outer ends are separated a substantial distance and the recesses and supports 19 and 2O for the vertically disposed bottles are located in the spaces between the more widely separated ends of the receptacles 4. These receptacles in Figs. 1 and 2 have their inner ends in close proximity and this is true of Fig. 6. The purpose in assemblingthese receptacles in all instances is to get as many in the available space as possible and if there is any space available between the outer ends of adjacent receptacles, to utilize this space by providing other receptacles for vertically disposed bottles.

I do not limit myself to the material of which the panel or support is made. The structure may be built up by welding the parts together.

l I claim:

1. A support and display device for articles such as bottles, comprlsing a body portion having a wall with apertures through said wall and article receptacles extending inwardly from said apertures, and inclining inwardly and downwardly to support the articles in inclined position, said walls having vertical channeled portions therein and shelves in said channels for supporting articles in upright position.

2. A support according to lclaim 1 in which said receptacles are of open trough shape along their upper sides, and said supporting wall at their inner ends comprising ears bent over from the metal of the trough and meeting centrally in overlapped relation and providing a drain outlet at the inner lowermost point of said receptacle.

3. A support according to claim 1 in which said body portion is tubular, said inclined article receptacles being disposed in vertical series in the wall of said tubular body portion, said vertical channels each having a vertical series of said shelves therein, said vertical channels each being disposed in a portion of the wall of said tubular body portion between two vertical series of said inclined ar-` Yoo 

